The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus, conscious of its responsibility
before the country and the people, expresses its utmost rejection and
repudiation on the bad faith, which drove the petroleum companies
Petrotimor and Oceanic Explorations, to accuse her members of corruption
to secure Conoco Phillips Petroleum in the investment at Timor Sea.

The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus preemptively denies having received
any offer of bribery from Conoco Phillips or from anyone else and
considers this incredible act an authentic blasphemy against a people,
which is one of the poorest in the world, of which its Deputies are its
representatives.

The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus believes that this act comes at a
difficult and important iniciation for the reconstruction of the Nation,
and considers this act malicious, because it comes intentionally to
disrupt the process of reconstruction and development of the Nation.

The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus wishes to make public that its
actions are based on the principle that defends a public administration
that is professional and at the same time combats corruption.

The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus expresses its solidarity for the
Prime Minister Dr. Marí Alkatiri and all those touched by this alleged
bribery accusations.

The FRETILIN Parliamentary Caucus declares that it does not, in any
manner or form a defendant, in this alleged accusation, but is making
every effort to seek competent legal advice to defend the Prime Minister’s
personal integrity and the integrity of the Nation, against these
defamatory insinuations.